A criminal minds Christmas carol
by Futureauthor2000
Summary: Strausse hates Christmas. Despite the well intentioned offers from friends she never tries to change her ways. Until one fateful night when she is taking on a journey that will change her heart for the better.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyon! I decided to give you all a Christmas present. This is my first story that is pure fluff! I'm going to even try to play matchmaker. I've never done anything like this before so, bare with me. And happy holidays :)**

Strausse was sitting in her office on Christmas Eve. Most of the BAU had taken the day off. Except for, agent Jareau, who was working while her husband, agent Hotchner was in the hospital with their son, Henry. Strauss didn't know the details. All she saw was that their minds were never completely on get their jobs done. They were never completely present.

Agent Rossi was there as well, but his reasons were even worse. He wanted to invite her to his Christmas party. All flights had been grounded for the holidays, because it was snowing to much, so agent Rossi had invited everyone over to his house. When he had givin his proposition to Strausse she politely turned him down. Her ex-husband had taken all her kids on a trip to the beach that year, and she just wanted to be left alone. Dave simply wouldn't accept the rejection, and he had made it his life's work to get her at that party. He even sent the tech analysis to ask her about it. The man was relentless.

Erin continued to fill out paperwork, until agent Jareau walked into the room.

"I'm leaving now, and I just wanted to wish you a merry Christmas,"she said quietly.

"You were late again,"said Strausse, untouched by her attempt to please the old woman.

"I'm sorry,"JJ said, obviously distracted,"It takes longer to get here from the hospital."

"If you had any sense you, and agent Hotchner would put your job before your personal affairs."

"Yes ma'am,"agent Jareau said. She obviously didn't want to put up a fight.

The defeated agent walked out of the room, and got on an elevator. Then agent Rossi poked his head in smiling.

"Merry Christmas Erin!"

"Oh my God!"the chief exclaimed,"is there one person in this building who isn't obsessing over Christmas?"

"Why are you being such a Scrooge? I'm only being cheerful."

"Call me that again, and you can go be cheerful at your next boss."

"Speaking of cheerful-"

 _Oh no. Here it comes._ She thought.

"Will you please come to my Christmas gathering? It's for everyone who's spending the holidays alone tomorrow, and I happen to know that you fall into that category."

"I don't need your charity, and I know your team doesn't need their boss ruining their festivities. I will be just fine on my own."

Dave turned around to leave, and then stopped,"If you happen to change your mind, then you're always welcome to come."

Erin sat alone now. She kept thinking about that comment Dave said, about her being a Scrooge.

"Bahumbug indeed,"she said,"Bahumbug indeed."


	2. Chapter 2

Strauss had decided to go home, after working two extra hours. She had poured herself a glass of wine, and was trying to find something on tv that wasn't a Christmas special. She eventually found some game show where people were trying to win a million dollars. She watched it for a few minutes, until she started to get a headache. Strauss tried to power through it, but she eventually gave up put her glass in the sink, and went to bed.

Erin was awoken by a bright light. A blonde woman was before her. She looked a lot like-

"Agent Garcia?" she said, surprised.

"No,"the woman said,"I'm the ghost of Christmas past. I came to show you something."

Before Strauss could protest, the ghost had taken her hand, and she was flying out of the window. She screamed for the woman to put her down, but her cries went unheard. In seconds they had quit flying, and they were in a place that Strauss recognized.

"This is my childhood home,"she said, with a faraway look in her eye.

There was a girl there who was roughly eight years old. Her father was walking through the door, and she ran up to him.

"Do you have my present daddy?"

"Yes, it's right here,"he said with a no nonsense tone of voice.

He pulled a pamphlet out of his coat, and handed it to her.

"The Creekside Boarding School for Girls,"she read out loud,"what's this?"

"That's the school you'll be going to next semester. I tried to enroll you at the beginning of the year, but it was full. Luckily a spot opened up. Your going to get a really good education there."

"But I don't want to leave. I want to stay with you daddy,"the girl pleaded.

"Shut up! Your going, and that's final!"

The girl ran upstairs,and threw herself on the bed.

"I found out later that he only sent me there, because it was cheaper to send me away than to hire a nanny. After my mother died, I was just an inconvenience to him."

The room faded, and they were at a high school dance.

"My school would always host a dance for the older students. They invited the boys from another school to come."

The girl from before was about sixteen, and she was talking to a boy in the corner.

"If you wanna get out of here,"he said,"I would love to see your dorm room."

Erin tried to get away, but the boy held onto her.

"Come on girl,"he said,"I'm sure you'll look fine with nothing on."

Another boy came, and shoved him away from her.

"Leave her alone, Jake!"

"Whatever,"he said,"I hope the two of you have fun at your next abstinence club meeting."

After Jake stormed off Erin's hero made sure she was okay.

"I'm sorry about that pervert,"he said.

"It's fine. Boys will be boys."

"That's no excuse. He should control his hormones. Even if you are the prettiest girl here."

"You have a lot of room to talk,"Erin joked,"I don't even know your name, and your already trying to flirt with me."

"My bad,"the boy said while extending his hand," my name is Bryan."

"I'm Erin,"she said, accepting his hand.

The couple went straight to the dance floor, and continued to stare at each other the whole time they were at the dance.

"This is sweet," the ghost said,"but we need to get further into the future."

Strauss was swept off her feet, and was flown to her office. Her husband was there.

"Erin you can't keep doing this. It's not fair to me, and it's not fair to our children. You can't be a part time mother,"he said.

"My job takes a lot of time. I have to cut some things out."

"Do you know what today is?"

"No I don't,"Strauss admitted.

"It's our daughter's tenth birthday. You promised her you would be at her birthday party. I had to look at her disappointed face, and make up some lame excuse for you."

"I'll make it up to her."

"No! This was the last straw Erin,"her husband put a folder on her desk,"I want a divorce."

"Oh my God,"the ghost said,"that's so sad."

"Please take me home. I don't want to see anymore of this."

"As you wish,"the ghost said. She took Strauss by the hand, and flew her into the clouds.

When Erin Strauss woke up, she was in her own bed, trying to convince herself that it was all a dream.


End file.
